Thursday, March 03, 2011

The fantastic Jaye Wells, author of the of the Sabina Kane series, made us the huge honor to stop by to celebrate the release of her latest title, Green-Eyed Demon (March 1st, 2011). Make sure you stick around because she wrote an amazing post about New Orleans, including areas you can find in her book! Ready for the trip?

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One of my favorite things about being an author is the ability to combine work with vacations. Last year's Spring Break was a perfect example. I was working on the third book in my Sabina Kane series, Green-Eyed Demon, which is set in the Big Easy. So when my son's spring break came up it was the perfect excuse for a road trip to New Orleans.

While the Internet allows authors to write about cities they've never visited, I believe nothing beats experiencing a locale first hand. Especially a place like New Orleans, which has such a unique character. There really is no substitute for walking the streets, smelling the air, and hearing the sounds of a city. Every place has its own personality and NOLA has it in spades. The trip was so fun, I thought I'd share with you some of the key places I visited when developing the setting for Green-Eyed Demon.

Café du Monde: Look, if it's your first trip to New Orleans or your fifteenth, you are not allowed to leave the city without allowing the powdered-sugary sweetness of a beignet to cross your lips. They're a particular favorite of Giguhl, Sabina's Mischief demon minion.

Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral: Across the street from Café du Monde are Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral. This are offers some of the best people watching in New Orleans. Street performers, living statues, palm readers and craft hawkers gather on the brick-lined pathways to entertain tourists. The square has lots of comfy benches and soft grassy lawns to take a load off and just soak in the atmosphere. A major scene between Sabina and her vampire granny, Lavinia Kane in this spot.

St. Charles Streetcar: After you've filled your belly with beignets and loitered in Jackson Square for a bit, walk a few blocks and hop on the historic St. Charles streetcar, which will take you into the Garden District. The line is thirteen miles long and goes from Canal Street all the way up past Tulane and Loyal and Audubon Park. Hope off at Washington and go a block to Lafayette Cemetery No. 2. A big battle in Green-Eyed Demon happens here. Warning: Do not go to NOLA's cemeteries alone or at night. They're hot spots for muggers. And vampires. Just sayin'.

Garden District: After you leave the cemetery, continue down Prytannia Street to the intersection with 1st St. You may recognize this house as the scene of Erron Zorn's crazy party in Green-Eyed Demon, but paranormal fans might also know this gorgeous Greek-Revival home as the former residence of Anne. Rice. Do yourself a favor and take a couple of hours to wander through the Garden District taking in the architecture.

These are just a few of the fantastic sights to see in New Orleans. I could go on for pages and pages about all the great places to visit, but honestly? You should go there yourself. But if that's not a possibility, pick up Green-Eyed Demon and experience the Big Easy, Sabina Kane style.

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Thank you so much Jaye for sharing your trip with us! I really wanna go to New Orleans now lol

Now a bit more about the series!

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn’t really fit in. And being an assassin – the only profession fit for an outcast – doesn’t help matters. But she’s never brought her work home. Until now.

Her latest mission is uncomfortably complex, and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she’s on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family and some unexpected new talents. Any of these things could be worryingly life-changing, but together, they could be fatal …

Sabina Kane doesn't have the best track record when it comes to family. After all, her own grandmother, leader of the vampire race, wants her dead. So when she arrives in New York to meet her mage relatives, the reunion puts the fun in dysfunctional. Not only is mage culture completely bizarre, but everyone seems to think she's some kind of 'Chosen' who'll unite the dark races. Sabina doesn't care who chose her, she's not into destiny. But the mages aren't Sabina's only problem. In New York's Black Light District, she has run-ins with fighting demons, hostile werewolves and an opportunistic old flame. Sabina thought she'd take a bite out of the Big Apple - but it looks like it wants to bite back.

The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. Her sister has been kidnapped by her grandmother, the Dark Races are on the brink of war, and a mysterious order is manipulating everyone behind the scenes.

Working on information provided by an unlikely ally, Sabina and her trusty sidekicks–a sexy mage named Adam Lazarus and Giguhl, a Mischief demon–head to New Orleans to begin the hunt for her sister. Once there, they must contend with belligerent werewolves, magic-wielding vampires and–perhaps most frightening of all–humans.

But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won’t be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about most, she must save herself from the ghosts of her past.

I would love to win Green-Eyed Demon! Magic, vampires, werewolves, impending war, and ghosts of the past... sounds like an awesome read!Plus, if I win, I'd have to go and buy the first two so I could get caught up in the series, thus we'd be supporting Jaye Wells. :)

These books looks fantastic!! I need to win this, because I live outside of New Orleans and I love reading books from my area. It is hard to keep up with all the books written around New Orleans, along with the movies, there are so many here lately.

I love this series! Sabina is totally KA! I would so love to visit New Orleans as well but with the way the economy and the world is today, it seems highly unlikely. So reading books that take place in the area is my next best bet!

Why should I win one of these books? Because a) I have had them on my wishlist for what seems like forever b) the covers are super kick-butt and I love me some kick-butt covers c) I will spread the Jaye Wells love by reviewing the books on my blog!

I should win because I've been a total fan since I first heard of Red-Headed Stepchild. I loved The Mage in Black, and now I can't wait to read Green-Eyed Demon. And my favorite side-kick is definitely Giguhl.

I should win this prize because I have never visited New Orleans and so need the book to submerge myself in the atmosphere. And I recognize that even should I be able to explore that city I would not be able to do it Sabina Kane style. Ah, the woe.

I haven't read this series yet...but if I were to win this book (which I have already had on my TBR list) I would HAVE to go back and purchase the first two because I have a thing about reading series in order! So pick me so more more books get read and purchased...then the word about how wonderful they are gets spread!

I should win because I've been wanting to start this series and I'll have a great excuse for my nagging husband on my books that I just have to go out and buy the first book in the series :) Thanks for the chance to win

The reason I should win this prize is because i really want to read them and not only that buy when i am finished i will donate them to the Middletown High School staff for their bookswap. Thankschaarmedone1512(at)aol(dot)com

I'd love to win; these types of books are exactly the type I like. Also, as I am so broke I can barely afford my student fees I can't afford to go out and buy all the books I like so my new hobby is entering contests lol

I love cemetarys. Our towns cemetary is one block from my house. It is actually peaceful there. Its like a beautiful park full of trees, shade, benches and fountains and .....dead people. LOLk.kjovus(at)gmail(dot)com

I should obviously win this because I am very unable to actually take a trip to New Orleans right now but I so very much want to (and I'm in love with houses like those in the Garden District). And your post itself says if you can't go, to pick up Green Eyed Demon :)

I deserve to win this specific prize because I LOVE this series. Jaye Well's writing is awesome. My fave character is Giguhl because he is so hilarious. I've been wanting to buy this one since it came out but I'm low on funds right now. So I'm hoping I can win it. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

I should win this book because I am an advocate for fighting illiteracy for my school. I would find this book a good home at the Middletow Highschool library when i am done reading so other teenagers can read it.chaarmedone1512@aol.com

Because when my husband first picked up the first book in the series, "Red Headed Step Child", I actually thought it was that rarity in UF a new male author. I quickly learned I was mistaken but not about the series, this is one we both enjoy.